Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census show there were changes in marriage, health and religion.

The population reached nearly quarter of a million

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Stoke-on-Trent increased by 3.5%, from just under 241,000 to 249,000.

The addition of just under 8,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Stoke-on-Trent was home to, on average, 19 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Stoke-on-Trent

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Stoke-on-Trent increased by one year, from 37 to 38 years.

This multi-cultural area had a slightly lower average age than the West Midlands and became slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 4,700 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 4,000.

About 15% of people in Stoke-on-Trent are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stoke-on-Trent by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Stoke-on-Trent

This area saw the West Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

Across the region, only Worcester saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 30% to 37%).

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 29% to 34%.

In 2011, just over one in three (36%) people aged 16 and over in Stoke-on-Trent said they were single, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 49% to 44%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Stoke-on-Trent residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 13% to 8.0% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 63% in 2001. The percentage of Stoke-on-Trent residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 15%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad and the lowest proportion of residents that perceived their health as good or very good.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Stoke-on-Trent decreased by 4.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Stoke-on-Trent, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

This area saw the West Midlands' joint second-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, alongside Dudley. The largest rise was seen in Lichfield

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 7.9% to 9.6%.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11%) households in Stoke-on-Trent had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.7% in 2001. The percentage with just a single person increased from 32% to 33%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Stoke-on-Trent increased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Stoke-on-Trent, the West Midlands and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Stoke-on-Trent

The number of people in Stoke-on-Trent that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 32,000 in 2001 to about 63,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 13% to 25% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the West Midlands (from 12% to 22%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Stoke-on-Trent that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 180,000 in 2001 to just over 150,000 in 2011 (from 75% to 61%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 19,000 to just under 16,000 (from 8.0% to 6.4%).

Just under 15,000 people (3.2%) said they were Muslim, up from about 7,700 in 2001 (6.0%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Stoke-on-Trent increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stoke-on-Trent by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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